Firecracker
by You can be my secret keeper
Summary: "Pfft, the Marauders? What are they?" Millie said rolling her eyes.   James puffed up his chest, "I'll have you know The Marauders are the bestest, most handsome, funny guys in first year. You should be happy we're even speaking to you!"


"Erh, can we sit here?" A red headed girl asked nervously.

The two boys who were sitting in the half occupied compartment looked at each other and back to the girl standing in the half open doorway; she on the other hand was looking awkwardly around the room waiting for a reply.

"We?" asked one of the boys, looking at the girl in front of him strangely. He had rounded glasses and messy hair that made him look like he'd been dragged through a bush backwards. The other also had black hair, but it was much neater, falling into vigorous curls that framed his dark eyes.

"Yeah, me and-" She didn't get to finish her sentence though because a blonde haired girl had bounded up to her grinning nearly knocking her into a seat.

"Becky! I was looking for you everywhere!"

"Millie!" Becky hissed to the blonde, "You were right behind me!"

"No, I got caught up talking to a girl named Alice; she's muggle-born too," Millie smiled, then looked into the room. "Who are you?" She asked the boys rudely.

"I could ask you the same question!" The one with glasses replied haughtily.

"Well I asked you first!"

"Well-"

"James, shut it," The one with curls laughed. James shot him a look which clearly said, _You weren't meant to tell them my name, idiot!_

"Okay, _SIRIUS_."

"You're name is serious?" Becky asked, confused.

"What? No- I mean, yes, but not that type of-"

"Seriously?" Millie asked then giggled, Becky joining in.

"In answer to your question, no, you can't sit here," Sirius said coldly and faced the window, looking out onto the platform one last time for the year.

The girls' faces fell, "But there's no other space on the train!" Becky said, while Millie chewed her lip.

"How do you know?" James said brusquely. Becky's mouth closed, a scowl appearing on her face.

"Wouldn't want to share it with _you_ anyway," Millie interrupted and grabbed her friends arm, "Come on Becky, let's go."

Millie and Becky left the compartment only to run into a girl with a boy. The girl had lovely hair that could neither be described as red or ginger (somewhere on the scale of titian) and large almond-shaped eyes a bright shade of emerald. However, the boy alongside her was the complete opposite, with dark greasy locks which contrasted with his face, giving the illusion of a chalk-white skin tone. He had large eyes also, but the size of his hooked nose made them appear tiny. Millie and Becky put the appearances aside though, and smiled to them.

"Hi," Millie greeted them.

"Isn't there any room in there?" The boy asked.

"Well there is... But they're not very nice," Becky responded.

"Oh... we may as well try it, huh?" The red-head said to her friend and he nodded. Remembering she had company, the girl smiled too, "My name is Lily by the way. Lily Evans. This is my friend Sev Snape.

"I'm Millie Webber-"

"I'm Rebekah Wilson, Becky for short," Becky grinned, wanting to introduce herself.

"Nice to meet you," Lily said, and Sev smiled.

"Well good luck!" Millie said pulling Becky along so they could go find a compartment that hopefully had some room.

* * *

"Just leave it alone, will you, it will dry quickly," Becky muttered to Millie, who was shaking the sleeve of her robes.

"If I wring it out it will dry faster than leaving it alone! It's not my fault-"

"So whose was it? The Giant Squid's, I presume-"

"I was only trying to touch it-"

"So while we travel across a dark Black Lake, you decide to stick your hand out of the boat, to touch an unknown magical creature? Real sensible, Millie-"

"Well at least I didn't tip the boat over-"

"Millie! Leave it alone!"

Millie flicked the sleeve of her robe at Becky so she got a little wet too. Becky spluttered but a tall woman with her hair in a tight bun and a business-type expression on her face strode in.

"I am Professor McGonagall, and as many of you know, you are about to be sorted. When I call your name, you go and sit on the stool-" She waved her wand and a stool materialized in the air,landing on the floor with a soft thud, "-and put the Sorting Hat on your head. It will choose the House your should be in according to your strengths and weaknesses." She glanced at everyone in the room, taking in the messy hair of James, sopping wet robes of Millie, and general scruffiness of the rest of the students.

Her lips formed a thin line, "Follow me."

The students were lead into main-hall. Many of them were surprised to see the hall in such a way, many of them never seeing it before. Sirius and James were in the middle somewhere, in front of Becky and Millie, but behind Lily and Severus.

"This is so cool!" Millie said grinning ear-to-ear. She reached out to touch a candle stick but was pulled back by Becky. "Millie _don't_ touch anything," Becky warned.

Lily turned around to someone was muttering about the two girls she had earlier met on the train. She caught their eye, smiled and waved.

They all finally stopped. McGonagall pulled out a list from her pocket and began reading names. The first to be called was a petite girl called Sophie Adderson, she was put into Hufflepuff.

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called, many people turned to look at him, James patted his shoulder as Sirius began to make his way to the stool. No one noticed the unusual pale shade of green creeping up to his face as he pulled the Hat over his ear.

"I heard," Becky began as others watched the hat talk, "That he is meant to be in Slytherin or something, but he really doesn't want to. Apparently Slytherin is really, really bad."

Millie paused, "Well then he should go to Slytherin, I don't like him."

James turned round to glare at Millie, "Well I'm sure he doesn't like you either!"

Sirius gulped and concentrated on how much he wanted to stay away from Slytherin – Hell, he'd prefer Hufflepuff compared to that evil group of students.

"Dark Magic not your thing, eh?" a sly voice murmured in his ear. Instead of jumping a mile in the air, Sirius kept a cool voice and replied, "No, I'd like to do some good in this world, thanks."

"Hmm... better be GRYFFINDOR!" The hat bellowed and everyone on the Gryffindor table started cheering and clapping as Sirius grinned madly, ignoring the evil stares he received from Bellatrix and Narcissa Lestrange. He sat down next to a cheery second year with light brown hair named Frank and watched the other Students being sorted.

"Edwards, George!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Evermore, Daniel!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

When Lily's turn came around Millie leaned into Becky, "I hope we're in the same house as her; she seems so nice." Becky nodded in agreement.

"GRYFFINDOR" The hat yelled out once again. Millie and Becky joined in as peoplw cheered as Lily, flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, joined the table. She stayed away from Sirius, so it was obvious she'd also had an argument in the train. Becky glanced towards the Sev boy she'd met earlier to see him looking really sad.

"I thought he was her friend?" She said absent-mindedly but no one was listening.

"Fallon, Angela!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Grey, Jenny!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Hunt, Thomas-James!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Kappa, Max!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

More and more people were called up, many going into Slytherin and Ravenclaw, yet not many for Gryffindor.

"Potter, James!" James walked up, and before the hat had even been properly placed onto his head, it yelled the loudest yet, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius beat his hands together in applause as James sat down next to him, beaming.

"Severus Snape!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Millie's name about to be called so she didn't get a chance to look toward Lily's direction, however Becky did, and Lily looked a little crushed as she watched Sev avoid her eyes and walk to his table, head down.

"Webber, Millicent!" Millie hurried up to the stool and rammed the hat over her eyes.

"Hmm... Millicent, hey..? Very crowded head you've got here, you'd be perfect for Ravenclaw with this knowledge… Although, there's more...GRYYFINDOR!" Millie flashed a grin to Becky who smiled back. She took off the hat and ran to sit next to Lily, blushing as well.

"Wilson, Rebekah!"

Becky soon sat down on the stool, hoping with all her might she'd be in Gryffindor aswell.

"Oh. Well this is interesting." Becky had to stop herself from responding, "Very strange aspects of all houses.. Hmm... possibly..? GRYFFINDOR!" Becky smiled and hopped next to Millie who hi-fived her. The last person to be called was Sarah Wright and she was placed into Hufflepuff.

"What happens now?" Millie whispered to Lily and Becky.

"I think the Headmaster gives a speech," Lily replied quietly, thinking back to everything Sev had told her about Hogwarts, "His name's Dumbledore. Apparently he's a little crackers, but very wise."

Sure enough a tall man with silvery hair, and a beard that fell to his elbows to match stood up, and silence fell.

"Welcome! To those who are new, welcome to Hogwarts and those who are not, welcome back!" He surveyed the students with a proud smile on his face, and said, "I'm sure some of you would love a brilliant speech, but I wouldn't, so dig in!"

He clapped his hands, and at once the silver plates in front of everyone filled with an arrangement of beautifully cooked food. Millie gasped at the amount she could eat, and Lily smiled to herself. Becky broke the three girls' silence by concluding; "Yeah, he is nuts!" And they ate.

"First years; Gryffindor's follow me!" Shouted Markus Johnston.

At once Mark had a herd of first years. He was leading them up and around to the Gryffindor dormitories. Becky, Millie, Lily had all become friends now. It made it a lot easier when they found out they had a lot in common; they all like Doctor who, reading, enjoyed each other's company, oh, and one thing they had all agreed on? They all disliked James Potter and Sirius Back, unlike the rest of the girls it seemed.

All three girls were walking a bit behind the rest of the group. Millie was feeling uneasy on the moving stair cases.

"I mean they don't need to move do they?" Millie asked panic-stricken.

"Calm down, you'll get used to it," Lily said grinning.

"Is the staircase scaring you?" James laughed, turning around and Sirius snickered too, "Ooh, itty witty Webber!"

"Shut up, Potter," Millie snarled and grabbed the handrail, pushing herself up the last few steps.

"Yeah, leave her alone!" Becky joined in, narrowing her eyes.

"Got yourself a pair of firecrackers there, Evans," James said to Lily, nodding to Millie and Becky.

"Yeah, would match your hair and all-" Sirius added in, chuckling darkly. Lily opened her mouth in protest, then drew out her wand and pointed it at the boys. They both put their hands in the air, not wanting to start a fight; Remus had insisted on taking their wands while they chatted to others.

"Woah-"

"Evans, sorry-" James said hastily.

"Do it, Lily!" Becky said, and laughed.

"Yeah, like she'd know," Sirius muttered again and Lily took a step towards him.

"I may be muggle-born, but I happen to have been studying _a lot_ during the holidays, and know some particularly BAD hex's-"

"Excuse me?" Markus's voice rang out as the rest of the first-years stopped, "Wands away in the corridor, please!"

Lily nodded, quickly withdrawing her wand, but threw the boys one more dirty look before carrying on up the staircase.

* * *

Everyone in their dormitories had become rather settled, a few first years had gone to look around, some had stayed in their dormitories, while others were relaxing by the flickering fire in the common room.

Becky walked down from the girls' dormitory looking around for Lily or Millie but she didn't see them. She sighed walking towards the four boys sitting around playing exploding snap. There was James and Sirius from earlier, but two new boys in the group.

"Um, hello?" She asked politely.

"Hi," A brown-haired boy smiled when no one else said anything, "I'm Remus," He said, noticing the girl looked nervous.

"I'm Becky," She said warmly back.

"This is Peter-" He gestured to a pudgy boy with mousy hair and watery eyes, "This is-

"I know who they are," Becky said, narrowing her eyes at the two dark-haired boys who ignored her.

"Oh..." Remus replied, his hand dropping, "Well...um..."

"Oh!" Becky remembered why she was there, "Have you seen Lily Evans? Or MillieWebber? 'Bout the same height, one had red hair, the other blonde hair and glasses?

Peter, Sirius, and James looked up from the game, and Remus thought back, "I saw them walk out, I think. They were talking about Millie and the lake when I saw them."

"Oh, was the giant Squid involved?"

"Well I don't-" Remus began.

"Okay, not to break up this lovely little conversation, but we're trying to play a game." James said rather rudely.

"What you trying to say?" Becky said scowling.

"Shoo!" Sirius said making a hand movement, staring at the board. There was a sharp silence for a moment, apart from Peters squeak.

Becky gritted her teeth, "Rot in hell, Sirius" she spat Becky walked off into the direction of the portrait-hole.

"What was that?" Remus asked. James and Sirius shrugged, both mumbling 'Nothing'.

"That was not nothing, you were really rude to her," Remus said sticking up for his other friend.

"Whatever," Sirius said a pulled a card out.

* * *

"Hey!" Becky shouted, spotting a redhead and a blonde in the distance, "Hey!"

Millie and Lily turned around and smiled together, "Hello,"

"Thanks for leaving," Becky said, slowing to a stop as she approached her friends, "You left me to deal with Black and Potter."

"Really?" "Seriously?" Millie and Lily both said at the same time and Becky grinned, "Yes!"

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you while walking back – curfews nearly over."

* * *

James and Sirius were sharing a box of Bertie Botts Jelly Beans over wand light. They had to speak quietly because everyone else was asleep, so were both sitting on Sirius's bed, talking about their first day and how they'd really enjoyed it.

"Y'know those girls?" James asked sheepishly.

"There are a lot of girls James," Sirius responded.

"Y'know,.. The three girls" James said creating a massive hint.

"Okay, yes James. What about them?" Sirius said stifling a yawn.

"Do you think we were mean?"

"Mean?"

"Mean." James repeated.

"No..!'Course not..! That's absurd..!"

James raised his eyebrows and Sirius grinned, "Maybe a bit."

"I kind of like the redhead. Lily."

"Really?" Sirius exclaimed and James's eyebrows rose.

"...Yes..."

"Thank Merlin, I was beginning to think you were gay!"

James's jaw dropped and he yanked out the pillow from behind him and hit Sirius around the head, "Just because I don't go through girls like you apparently do, does not mean I'm gay!"

"What was that for?" Sirius said, rubbing his head.

"Because you're acting like a homophobe," James laughed and hit him again.

* * *

Over in the girls' dorm, Millie and Becky had huddled around Lily's bed, tossing sweets to each other that Millie had packed. They were talking about when they first got their letters. Lily spoke about how she already knew a lot about this world, through Sev. It got to the point where they were talking about people in their year.

"So what did you think of that James-Thomas person?" Millie asked fluttering her eye-lashes in a stupid way causing both Lily and Becky to laugh.

"Much nicer than the other James," Becky replied, with much distaste.

"I hate how they think they're better than everyone!" Lily continued.

"I'm guessing the train-ride with them didn't go well?" Millie asked catching a chocolate frog, "I love these things y'know."

"Yes, we do, Millie," Becky muttered.

"No!" Lily responded to Millie's question, "They were so rude! All we did was ask about the compartment, and they started being really horrible to Sev... teasing him about his family and the House he wanted to get in."

Becky and Millie exchanged looks.

"What?" Lily blinked, "What?"

"Well..." Millie started, "Slytherin isn't exactly-"

"Exactly-?" Lily interrupted, eyes glinting.

"Isn't exactly meant to be the best of houses." Becky said, looking at her hands.

"How?" Lily demanded, "Sev said it's the best, and I should definitely be in it, and-"

"Yes, Sev _said_ that," Millie said gently, "But apparently it's renowned for being the House of Dark Magic and Dark-"

"Well then Sev will prove it's not!" Lily choked out, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"I'm sure he will," Becky smiled before Millie could say anything else. Millie caught on.

"Yeah, he seemed really nice when we met him," She carried on and Lily's tensed body relaxed.

"Mm," She agreed and picked up a Chocolate Frog, "I thought you'd take that stupid Potter's side for a moment."

* * *

The next morning, Millie and Becky sat down opposite Lily in the main-hall, smiling at their friend. However, Lily didn't seem all too happy because a certain James Potter appeared to be sitting next to her.

"What is he doing?" Becky asked looking around her as if she'd dropped something.

"What are you looking for?" Millie asked, just as confused about her as the two people sitting at the table.

"I'm trying to see if Potter dropped his brain and Black stood on it, because by the looks of it, he's trying to flirt with Lils," Becky replied cuttingly.

"Y'know, I can hear." James said, glaring.

"If you weren't sitting here, you wouldn't be able to-" Lily replied bluntly, "-Now go away!"

"You heard her," Millie said, "As you just proved!"

"Oi, James!" Sirius shouted from up the table, "Leave it, it's a lost cause!"

"Shut it!" James shouted back, his cheeks flushing unnaturally red.

"Ha!" Becky laughed, sitting down, "You do like her!"

Millie plopped down onto the bench too, "Nice one, Lily, bagged yourself the stupidest guy in the year."

"Shut up!" He repeated.

"Go away then." Becky said, pouring some pumpkin juice into a glass.

"Butt out of this, Red."

"Red?" Becky replied in a disgusted voice, "Why in Merlin's name have _you_ invented a nickname for me?"

"It's what The Marauders do," He replied nonchalantly.

"Pfft, the Marauders? What are they?" Millie said rolling her eyes.

"I don't know, but they're REALLY bad at making up nicknames!" Becky replied and everyone apart from James snickered.

"Not really," James he said in an annoyed tone.

"Yes, 'really.' Now go away!" Lily repeated, hopefully concluding the stupid argument.

Some point during the little quarrel Sirius and Remus had moved down the table so they were involved more in conversation.

"I'll have you know The Marauders are the bestest, most handsome, funny guys in first year. You should be happy we're even speaking to you!"

"But notice how we're not" Lily responded blandly, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Uh, Millie, could you stand up for me a sec?" Becky suddenly asked.

Millie slowly got up, confused to as why Becky reached under the table.

"Found it!" Becky said grinning, pulling out what appeared to be a brownish lump of fur.

"Becky, what is that?" Millie squealed, backing away from her.

"It's my rat. Well, Arthur Weasley's really – Millie, are you scared of rats?" Becky suddenly grinned evilly.

"No," Millie coughed uneasy, "Why would I be?

Becky laughing a little pushed the rat into Millie's face, who didn't notice Peter coming back to join them with his breakfast in his hands. Before Becky could warn Millie, she had over balanced on one leg and toppled into Peter. He squealed, flung the plate in the air and tried to run, tripping over the hem of his robes. Millie's face contacted heavily with the plate, resulting in runny eggs being poured down the front of her robes.

For a second or two there was silence in the main-hall until a bundle of laughter erupted.

Millie scrambled (get it?) up and screamed, "PETTIGREW!"

At once, the Head Boy Markus got up from the end of the Gryffindor table and briskly walked to the scene of the accident, predicting there was more trouble to come. It was a wonder none of the teachers had noticed the display over the loud babble of students.

Millie was too quick though. Pulling out her wand, she pointed it at Peter and a loud bang issued from the end of it, dissolving Peter in purple smoke.

"Oi, cut it out!" Markus shouted, and started running. He ran towards the first year and then looked towards the victim of the spell.

The whole Hall was silent now, staring at the space where the smoke was slowly disappearing. Peter's face appeared and he wailed. Everyone stared in awe as the realisation dawned on him that instead of his own legs, there were two feathered chicken's ones attached to him.

Before anyone could start laughing, Professor McGonagall stood up, "RIGHT!" She bellowed at the top of her voice. She strode over to where Millie sat on the ground, who panicked.

"It was her fault!" She said, pointing to Becky, "She shoved a rat in my face!"

"What?" Becky screeched, staring at Millie.

"NEVER have I seen such disrespectful behaviour to another fellow student, least of all by a first year!" She shouted, "Webber, Wilson, Pettigrew – you'd better join me at my office RIGHT AWAY. Lupin, Evans-" Remus and Lily looked up, "-you can come as witnesses."

The group was stunned into silence, Becky and Millie nearly in tears at the thought of the punishment that lay ahead of them. _Expelled right after my first day... what would mum and dad think?_ And Millie couldn't help tears springing to her eyes.

"What about me?" Sirius broke the silence.

"You have yet to gain my trust, Mr Black." She said nostrils flaring, then turned to Markus, "Thank you for intervening."

"Professor-" Becky whispered, eyes wide.

"NOW!"

* * *

Professor McGonagall stood behind her desk but in front of her chair with the students she was lecturing in front of her.

"Never in my years at this school have a seen such childish behaviour! I think you should all be ashamed of yourselves," McGonagall spoke with much distaste, eyes lingering on Millie more than anyone else of the group.

"Now explain." She sat down giving a pointed stare at Millie to speak first.

Millie coughed, unwrinkled her shirt and began to speak.

"Well its Becky's fault." Millie stated simply.

"Professor that's not true," Becky said sticking up for herself.

"Surely, Miss Webber, you can't just blame everything on someone; I want to know your story."

Millie coughed awkwardly, "Well... James came over to Lily and Lily didn't want to speak to James, so Becky said Sirius stood on his brain and then they said something about the Marauders and then Lily wanted to end the fight but then Becky found a rat. I hate rats! And then she moved closer to me with and then- and - and -" Millie said out of breath close to hyperventilating.

While Millie was collecting her breath McGonagall decided it was time to step in. "So, Mr Potter was involved?" Lily and Millie nodded their heads.

"Well good thing he's hiding behind the wall...Mr Potter come forward?"

James stepped out from behind the wall, looking like he appeared in midair, grinning sheepishly. Before McGonagall got even close to saying anything else, he jumped in to defend himself.

"Y-You can't blame me Professor I was only annoying Lily because - because Sirius was annoying me this morning!"

"James!" Sirius said from behind the wall James had emerged from. Sirius pushed James and walked out, "I was only annoying James because I was repeating what Remus was saying. So really it's Remus's fault!"

"Excuse me?" Remus interrupted a little timidly, "I said that on our second day, James shouldn't be bothering people, not that you should go and aggravate him. If anything, it's Peter's!"

Peter, who was still sobbing into a filthy handkerchief on a chair in the corner, looked up, his eyes brimming with tears. He surprisingly didn't cry while he had chicken legs, and the only reason he was when he had his normal legs back was fear.

"I didn't mean to," He squeaked, "I just- I just-"

"I was under the impression you threw your breakfast over Miss Webber," McGonagall said coldly, "Explain why, Peter?"

He cried out again, blew his nose noisily then protested, "I didn't mean to, it was an accident! I tripped over my robes. Grandmother bought them large for me to fit into!

"Let me get this straight. Effectively, Lupin told Black about Potter, who started to antagonise Potter because he was annoying Miss Evans. Miss Wilson then showed Miss Webber a rat, Miss Webber over-reacted, knocked into Pettigrew, caused an accident, blamed him and hexed him?" She repeated, glaring at them through her spectacles.

Sirius broke the silence again, by saying, "When you put it like that, it sounds bad, but-"

"As far as I can see it, it's equally _all_ of your faults! Miss Evans and Mr Lupin excluded."

"No!" James said, drowing out Peter's further whimpers, "You got to give Remus _some_ blame."

"Yeah, and Lily too!" Becky said, voice cracking through lack of use. Before anyone could stand up for themselves again, McGonagall said, "So, this concludes in detention every Saturday and Sunday evening for the past month, yes?"

Everyone gaped at her, unsure whether she was serious. No, not Sirius, _serious._

"Eight pm sharp each evening in the dungeons, I think. A little cleaning up should work." She grimaced over her desk, "You may go to your first lessons now. Your teachers will know why you're late."

"...But Professor-" Lily started, tears pricking her eyes.

"You may _go_."

The group stood up slowly and made for the door, shoulders drooped and heads down.

"Well done," Becky hissed to Millie, who nudged her shoulder in response.

The group of both boys and girls had spilt off from each other; they were all rather mad at how they'd all blamed one another and now had detention for a month. It had split of into Millie trailing behind, Sirius was ignoring James considering James had, in Sirius's own words 'put him in it' Lily was walking with Becky, while James walked somewhere in the middle next to Peter and Remus.

They all soon arrived to Potions. Lily was the first to speak; "Erm, sorry we're late Sir, do you know-"

"Yes, I was informed as to why you were late" Professor Slughorn interrupted. He walked up to the group of first years and tutted. "Well, I have already placed you so I'll just tell you where to sit, and no being rude, or hexing each other. Got it?"

"Yes, Professor," They all muttered in unison.

"Good," He smiled happily, "Well, from your assed reports before you arrived here, I've made a schedule deriving from your good and bad points. Miss Evans, you seem like quite the firecracker on here!"

Lily rolled her eyes as some people stifled laughs. _Wow, my hair is red. Get over it!_ She thought.

"You'll be placed near this cauldron of Green liquid, with... Mr Potter." He finished.

"What?" Lily and James both said.

"No rudeness," Slughorn reminded, "That means arguing too!"

Lily stared at him in shock, and then eventually regained the feeling in her legs. She half-walked half-stumbled to her newly found seat with James trailing behind her.

"Miss Webber?"

"Yeah?" Millie replied timidly. She really didn't want to be-

"With Mr Pettigrew-"

"WHA-"

"Oh, no, sorry, my mistake!" He chuckled, and observed the list, "No, with Mr Lupin at the front here."

Millie did an over-dramatic 'phew' and went to sit over to the identified seat, Remus following with no objections.

Becky looked at the two boys standing next to her just thinking; no. Slughorn turned over the piece of paper, Becky squinted up her eyes waiting to hear the name she really did not want to hear. "Ah yes. Mr Black and Miss Wilson." Becky sighed.

"Over there," He pointed to a cauldron. Becky and Sirius both walked over grumbling to themselves about how typical it was. "And last but not least Peter Pettigrew, over there, next to Miss Falcon," He said, pointing to a dark-haired girl by Millie and Remus.

Professor Slughorn walked to the front of the class. "Well now that we are all settled, I would like to wish your luck in your first year a Hogwarts. Now let's begin with the lesson!" He began to place vials onto the desks of each student.

"You will be making a Swelling Solution; is particular potion causes whatever it touches to swell up in size, as some of you may have guessed." He paused for a few seconds of awkward laughter from the students trying to be nice.

"One of its known ingredients is puffer-fish eyes and that, my friends, is what's in front of you."

Many of the students looked down in front of them, Sirius tried to poke it but his hand was slapped away by Becky.

"It's a fairly simple Potion," Slughorn directed to the class, "So I'd like you to turn to page 32 in your books and figure it out!" He laughed and with a flourish of his wand the method appeared on the blackboard in chalk and the stores cupboard opened, "Everything you'll need." He clapped his hands, "Chop, chop!"

There was an awkward pause in the class. No one was sure what to do exactly, many of them had turned to the page, but were looking at the text like they were hoping the words would jump out and help them.

"Can you pass me the book?" Remus asked Millie who was gazing off into space.

"Sure..." She replied in an uninterested voice, handing over the book.

Millie sighed, dipping her head down onto the table muttering, "It could be worse."

"I really appreciate that, y'know," Remus responded sarcastically, getting a little smile from Millie.

She rolled her eyes, and sat up properly again, "So what do we do?"

Remus peered into the empty cauldron, then back to his book, "Um... not too sure…"

"Maybe Lily will know. Lily!" Millie turned round so she could see Lily, although it seemed Lily was too busy having a hushed argument with James to notice her.

"Well you could at least apologize" James whispered moodily.

"You could at least stop sulking!" Lily mimicked, "And how was it my fault anyway? I didn't blame you!"

"Yes you did," James responded by slamming their book closed. Lily looked at their now closed book and laughed.

"Childish" she muttered.

"Hmm?"

"What?" She countered.

"What did you say?" He replied, annoyed.

"I said this Potion will be easy-ish," She smiled smoothly, "Now open that silly book and let's get started."

Over the other side of the classroom, Sirius had won over Becky and was moodily poking the fish-eye in front of him with his wand. Becky had leaned against the wall with her feet up on her chair and her arms draped around them, staring across the class. She'd loved the idea of Potions when she received the letter and the shock of becoming a witch. Her parents, both running their own businesses were intrigued by this subject too, but Becky felt being placed with an 'enemy' for her first lesson had ruined the year for her.

Sirius was now staring enviously at Remus across the classroom. Not only did he sit with Millie and not a girl he had a problem with, he could actually do something rather than sit in a awkward annoying silence.

"Black," Becky said sharply, eyeing the thing in front of her. Without realising it, Sirius had been enlarging the eyeball slightly with each poke and increased it to the size of a large cricket ball.

"Oh," He said, and hastily poked it again, focusing on making it smaller. He gave it an extra large jab, which made it puff up to the size of a football.

"Professo-" Becky began to call, lifting her hand, when Sirius slammed it back down.

"Don't! We'll both get in even _more_ trouble!" He whispered.

"Ow!" Becky hissed, drawing her arm back, "What exactly are we meant to do then?"

"Wait a sec," Sirius replied, scraping his chair up and striding to the front. He looked around and pointed his wand at the example potion at the front. He thought for a second, went to the store cupboard and grabbed a load of ingredients.

"What in Merlin's name-" Becky began as he came back. Dumping the stuff on her desk, he intereupted, saying, "Specialis Revelio – learnt that one from my evil hag of a cousin."

Becky's eyes widened, "If she's so evil, why did you use it?"

Sirius grinned, "Relax, it just tells you what's in the potion!"

"So what do we do now?" Becky retorted, narrowing her eyes. Even James and Lily had started.

"Uhh... just bung it all in and light the cauldron?" He tried, then looked to Remus, "Yeah, light the cauldron – Remus has done that and he seems real clever."

"Get up to the board, I can't see from here; he's written the method up there," Becky said, lighting a flame under the unfamiliar cauldron.

"I can't be bothered..." Sirius moaned, and just picked up all the ingredients, "Just do it my way!"

With a heaving movement, Sirius grabbed the various things from the cupboard and the ridiculously big eyeball and shoved them in the cauldron. Becky actually screamed, "Black, no, we're not meant to-"

In a second the potion had started bubbling. Sirius peered into the cauldron, "...I don't think we've done it right."

"No, neither do I!" Becky hissed grabbing the back of his robes pulling him away from the now overflowing potion.

"Professor!" They both shouted in unison, staring at the table which was now starting to get bigger.

"Ah. Right," Professor Slughorn laughed to himself, but then noting the rate the table was increasing decided it would be a good time to end class early.

"Class dismissed, leave everything on the table!" He ordered, ushering the students out the door quickly. Sirius and Becky were the last to exit.

"Idiot," Becky muttered pushing him, "Hurry up and get out!"

"No, let me just see-" Sirius said trying to see what Slughorn was going to do.

"Black, leave it alone!" Becky rushed pulling him along, much to his distaste.

"Becky what happened?" Lily asked as soon as they reached outside.

"This idiot," Becky responded by poking him in the head, "Decided to put everything in, including the swollen eye that had been jabbed to death!"

"Great idea, get yourself in more trouble!" Lily exclaimed, her green eyes narrowing. With a flick of her hair she twirled around and started to walk off. James waggled his eyebrows at Sirius who laughed, and then James caught up with Lily.

"That idiot," Millie and Sirius both said at the same time. Becky snuck a glance at her friend then rolled her eyes.

"Have fun," She said sarcastically and walked a few steps ahead, falling in step with Remus; he seemed like a genuinely nice guy, though she had worries as to why he was hanging out with James and Sirius.

"Where's the stupid one in your group?"She asked, looking around.

"Which one?" Remus replied and then laughed.

"Little one," Becky said, not wanting to offend his friend.

"Peter?" Remus said, looking around, "Dunno. He'll find us."

"So..." Sirius said to Millie, trying to think of something to say.

"Does James really like Lily?" She replied eyeing the two people up in the distance.

Sirius started walking too, and Millie dropped into step with him.

Sirius shrugged, "I think so. Well, I know so - lost cause if you ask me – it's obvious she doesn't like him."

Millie laughed, "Agreed." She paused for thought, "You may want to tell him that, by the way."

Sirius laughed half-heartedly, "Won't make a difference."

"Oh?" Millie asked.

"Well I've only known him for one and a half days," He began, grinning, "But I can tell he won't back down on this. Millie smiled.

Ahead of those two, Remus asked Becky,"So what actually happened in there-?"

"I think you know Sirius Black better than me, so why don't you tell me?"

"Hmm," Remus paused in mock thought, "Thought he was right, when really he was wrong?"

"Oh yes," Becky said laughing, "You missed out the bit where I saved him from getting his head swollen up to a size of a hippo," Becky said over dramatically.

"Hippo?"

"Hippo." Becky concluded. They both looked at each other; soon enough there were tears in their eyes because the image of Sirius with a hippo head was too funny.

"Guys-" Lily called back to her friends, wondering why Becky was laughing so much and Millie wasn't, "Shall we just go back to the common room for the rest of the hour-?"

"Yeah," James agreed enthusiastically, "C'mon!"

Lily shot him a look which clearly said, _Did I invite you?_ But James was too busy grinning moronically to his friends.

"Yeah," Millie and Becky concluded at the same time, and the group merged as six.

* * *

"Guys could you like... go away now?" Lily asked tensly.

Everyone had been in the common room for awhile now, both groups were sitting together, but Lily was getting annoyed.

"What? Why?" Sirius replied.

"Yeah," Becky said stealing some Bertie Bott's jelly beans, "They're not doing any harm."

"Actually, they're being really aggravating," Lily shot back.

"Actually," Millie corrected, "James is following Lily around like a little puppy dog. It's making me feel a little sick."

Lily went bright read, along with James who shuffled away from Lily, "Shut up!" She hissed at Millie.

"I'm just telling the truth," Millie stated simply.

"You don't have to be a snob about it," Sirius remarked.

Millie narrowed her eyes, "I'll have you know, I'm not a snob."

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Am!"

"Not!"

"Am!"

"Am!"

"Not!"

"HA! Gotcha," Millie said smirking at Sirius.

"No you didn't-" Rolling his eyes.

"Yes I-" Millie began. Only to be cut off by Remus, "Stop it! You're both being really childish!"

"No we're not!" Millie and Sirius responded in unison.

"If you want us to go, we will okay? Just stop being petty" Remus continued as if the other two didn't say anything. Remus got up to leave only to be pulled down by Becky, "It's a free country, you don't have to go just because someone says so."

"Actually I agree," James's voice cracked from lack of use.

"Well I don't." Lily said stubbornly.

"Well then we have an issue here," James said deciding to state the obvious.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Not if you go away!" In a split second the group had all started speaking on-top of each other so no one could really make out any of what anyone was saying.

"STOP!" James eventually managed to get his voice heard by the sonorous spell.

"We'll do it like we do at my house. Majority rule okay?"

"Uh, Potter, there's three boys and three girls. Since when is that majority?" Lily said slowly as if he was stupid.

"Well what if I stick up for them?" Becky shot at her, standing up. Lily looked up in surprise and stood too.

"What's up with you? In the past day and a half, they've kicked me _and_ you out of their train carriage, caused us all to have detentions every weekend for the past _month_ and been arrogant pricks!"

"Thanks," Sirius said moodily.

"Well Remus hasn't!" Becky fired back. Lily looked at her then took a step back. Millie stood up.

"Becky, what's up? You've never been like this bef-"

"Because nothing's the matter-"

"I see," Lily said in a high voice, "You _like_ him."

Becky rolled her eyes, her cheeks turning a light colour of pink, "No, Lily, it's called friendship."

"Well you're meant to be our friend!" Lily said automatically getting defensive.

"Well what if I want to be both of your friends?" Becky asked.

"I don't see that working," Lily said sniffing.

Becky, getting annoyed, really didn't think about what she was saying before it even left her lips, "Yeah, I guess you're right, I don't see you and Severus hanging around with each other recently do I?"

"Becky!" Millie shouted. Lily took another step back but instead of anger, a look of pain flashed across her face.

"Lily, I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking- I, I was just-"

"No. You obviously weren't," Lily said sharply, "And how do you know I don't still hang around with Sev? It's only our second day! You don't understand anything!" Lily shouted her voice cracking.

"Lily I-"

"Shut up! Just SHUT UP." Lily shouted storming up the girls' dorm.


End file.
